GPS Jamming Near Iran Is Confusing Ship Navigation

Electronic warfare is increasingly affecting civilian navigation systems, and recent GPS disruptions near Iran are highlighting the risks.

Maritime intelligence company Windward reported that ships operating near the Strait of Hormuz — including waters around Iran, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar — have recently appeared in unusual clusters on navigation maps.

In some cases, vessels seemed to be located on land or grouped in perfectly circular formations, a common indicator of GPS signal interference.

Ships rely heavily on satellite navigation and the Automatic Identification System (AIS) to determine their own position and track nearby vessels. When GPS signals are jammed or manipulated, these systems can display incorrect locations, making it difficult for crews to understand where surrounding ships actually are.

According to maritime experts, this poses particular risks for large vessels such as oil tankers, which can reach around 300 meters in length and require significant distance to change course or stop. Without reliable positioning data, the chances of accidents or collisions can increase, especially in busy shipping lanes.

There is no official confirmation of who is responsible for the interference. However, military analysts cited by the BBC say Iran is widely suspected of causing disruptions in the region.

GPS interference has also appeared in other conflicts, including in Europe and during the war in Ukraine.